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Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

Potty training

Day three and feeling a bit clueless

9 replies

BiscuitNibbler · 20/06/2011 21:58

Reluctantly started potty training my DD (2.2) at the weekend as she was showing a lot of signs of being ready and asking to go on the toilet. I have dreaded potty training and feel completely clueless. Not exactly helped when I managed to tip a potty of pee over myself, DD and the carpet today...

She's done all her poos on the toilet or in a potty and also most of her pees (only one accident today) however I am prompting her to use the toilet / potty, and she hardly ever actually asks herself. When she does ask it is very urgent, and so far the accidents have happened when she has started to pee and then stopped and held it in until I have got her to the toilet or potty.

Today I have brought the potty into the sitting room and she has spent a lot of time sitting on it (her choice). She is very proud of herself when she uses it successfully.

Anyway, sorry for rambling, but I am clueless about children, have no family around and no experience of other people going through this as my friends' children are all slightly younger. I need some MN wisdom!

My questions are:

1 - Have I made a mistake starting this, is she not quite ready?

2 - Is the prompting by me part of the learning process and will she eventually start to ask to go herself most of the time?

3 - How long should this take? (I realise I am probably asking how long a piece of string is!)

4 - She is currently going around with just a t-shirt on - when do I introduce pants?

Thanks in advance.

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ItDoesntBodenWell · 21/06/2011 08:58

It sounds to me like she is very ready and doing really well. I only have experience of doing it once so far with my DD, but I'd try not prompting as often today and see what happens. I think them getting caught out and having little accidents actually helps them learn. It's great she can stop as soon as she realises and finish on the potty. I'd probably try pants today, can she get the down herself?
Don't worry about her needing to go instantly when she realises, we started with the potty in the same room as wherever she was, but then when she had the hang of it, put it in the toilet so she had to run in there. Build it up from there.
I found going out quite stressful, just because I was paranoid she would have an accident (not that she ever did!), but you just have to bite the bullet and try it!
How long will it take? Well there's no definite end point, you just suddenly realise you're not thinking about it constantly :o

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BiscuitNibbler · 21/06/2011 09:33

Thanks, ItDoesntBodenWell, that's reassuring. I feel constantly on edge, and really don't want to pass this anxiety on to her. I was so worried I had started too soon.

Today has started off quite well. She has taken herself off to the potty a few times and I've reminded her once or twice (she gets up very early!). She even ran from the playroom to the sitting room for her poo.

I haven't put pants on today - didn't want to jinx it! Will try that tomorrow then. However we have a gym class today and was going to pop a pair of pull-ups on but am now wondering if I should just use pants. Not sure they'll be impressed if she pees on the equipment though...

There are definitely bigger gaps between pees today though, so that is encouraging too.

Honestly, if someone set up a business to take your child away and return them potty trained I would be first in the queue!

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Mole007 · 21/06/2011 10:45

We're just over 3 weeks in (DS is 21 months), and managing dry most days, with any accidents due to small leaks before he gets to the potty. He still needs asking or (sometimes) persuading, but is always very proud of himself when he does perform. Would love to know how long we'll need to ask him, but it certainly seems to be working, with bigger gaps between pees, and a willingness to pee before we do things (eat, go out, etc)!

In terms of pants, that actually proved to be the biggest problem! We spent the first 3 days pants-free, and the subsequent battle has been to persuade him that he really does need to wear them, and that spralling with twiddly bits a-kinder is really not a good look Threatening with the cloth nappies does seem to work though!

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BiscuitNibbler · 21/06/2011 12:33

Well today has been completely different so far. No accidents yet and I've left her to go by herself.

Going to brave the gym class with pants on. I'm either brave or foolish!

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ItDoesntBodenWell · 21/06/2011 13:11

I think that's a good idea to avoid the pull ups now you've started, else it will just be another hurdle in the future to get out of them. Good luck with the class!

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BiscuitNibbler · 21/06/2011 15:12

Well we've made it back without incident! Very relieved!

Back to a bare bum now we're home but will try pants tomorrow and see how she gets on.

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ItDoesntBodenWell · 22/06/2011 07:15

Awesome! No going back now!

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gisti · 02/07/2011 14:27

Well, Biscuit Nibbler, I'm sure by now that your daughter is done and dusted and I have to say that from the outset you needn't have had any concerns. She was doing well from Day 1 - I only wish my 28 month old was progressing so well!

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BiscuitNibbler · 03/07/2011 07:25

Not quite done and dusted, gisti, but on the way I hope.

The issue we have now is when she is too busy doing something, like when we're out with her friends, she doesn't want to stop to go to the potty / toilet. I'm hoping she will soon realise that stopping for a pee is quicker than stopping to get completely changed after an accident!

We went to a family party yesterday and there were no accidents though, so I hope she's starting to get it.

I still wish I could have packed her off for a few weeks so someone else could have trained her. I feel for you. How long have you been training your DC?